REVIEW OF THE BOG WIFE BY KAY CHRONISTER

I want to welcome Kay Chronister to BooksRus. Kay is the is the author of the short story collection Thin Places (Undertow, 2020) and the novel Desert Creatures (Erewhon, 2022). Her Newest book The Blog Wife is scheduled to be published on October 1st by Counterpoint Press.

About the Book:

Since time immemorial, the Haddesley family has tended the cranberry bog. In exchange, the bog sustains them. The staunch seasons of their lives are governed by a strict covenant that is renewed each generation with the ritual sacrifice of their patriarch, and in return, the bog produces a "bog-wife." Brought to life from vegetation, this woman is meant to carry on the family line. But when the bog fails--or refuses--to honor the bargain, the Haddesleys, a group of discordant siblings still grieving the mother who mysteriously disappeared years earlier, face an unknown future.

Middle child Wenna, summoned back to the dilapidated family manor just as her marriage is collapsing, believes the Haddesleys must abandon their patrimony. Her siblings are not so easily persuaded. Eldest daughter Eda, de facto head of the household, seeks to salvage the compact by desecrating it. Younger son Percy retreats into the wilderness in a dangerous bid to summon his own bog-wife. And as youngest daughter Nora takes desperate measures to keep her warring siblings together, fledgling patriarch Charlie uncovers a disturbing secret that casts doubt over everything the family has ever believed about itself.

At once a gothic eco-horror, a psychological drama, and a family saga, The Bog Wife is a propulsive read for fans of Shirley Jackson, Karen Russell, and Matt Bell that speaks to what is knowable and unknowable within a family history and how to know when it is time to move forward.

About the Author: 

Kay Chronister is the author of the short story collection Thin Places (Undertow, 2020) and the novel Desert Creatures (Erewhon, 2022). Her short fiction has appeared in Strange Horizons, Clarkesworld, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, The Dark, and elsewhere, and has been nominated for the Shirley Jackson and World Fantasy awards. Originally from Washington State, she has spent time in Virginia, Cambodia, and Arizona. She now lives outside of Philadelphia with her dogs and her husband.

 My Thoughts:

The book is set in the Appalachian region, where folktales and superstitions are prevalent. I initially found the storyline a bit confusing, as it took some time to understand all the characters and their family dynamic. I had to reread some parts to keep track of the plot, as it was occasionally wordy. Overall, I enjoyed the book, although I found it eerie, peculiar, haunting, and unpredictable. This may not be my usual genre, but if you enjoy supernatural and gothic themes, you will likely appreciate this book.

Connect with Kay:

Authors site 

 

 

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of the book for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review